Book of Ezekiel_Chapter 18

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying,

How do you use this proverb in the land of Israel to say that a father eats sour grapes and a son’s teeth are sore?

As I live forever, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer use the cause of this proverb in Israel.

See, all the world belongs to me. As the father belongs to me, so also the son belongs to me. Whoever commits a crime will surely die.

If a person is just and does what is right and reasonable,

I have never eaten anything sacrificed to idols on the mountain, I have not looked up to the idols of the house of Israel, I have not defiled my neighbor’s wife, and I have not approached her during her menstrual period,

He did not betray anyone, but returned the debt owed to him. He did not plunder anyone’s belongings, but gave food to the hungry and clothes to the naked.

I have not taken interest from my brothers who borrowed money, nor have I demanded much from my brothers who borrowed food. I have restrained my hands from doing evil, and I will judge between two people according to reason.

He who follows my laws, abides by my judgments, and acts honestly is righteous and will surely live. This is what the Lord Jehovah has said.

If he gives birth to a son who is a thief and sheds blood, and does not do the good mentioned above, but instead does evil in it, but has eaten offerings to idols on the mountain and defiled his neighbor’s wife,

Burying the poor and needy, plundering their possessions, not returning the pledge to anyone, looking up to idols, and doing detestable things,

How can this person survive by taking interest from brothers who borrow money and demanding more from brothers who borrow food? He cannot survive. He who does all these detestable things will surely die, and his sins will be on his body.

If he gives birth to a son and sees all the sins his father has committed, he fears and does not do the same.

I have never eaten anything sacrificed to idols on the mountain, nor have I looked up to the idols of the house of Israel, nor have I defiled my neighbor’s wife,

I have not wronged anyone, taken a pledge from anyone, or taken anything from anyone, but have given food to the hungry and clothing to the naked,

Shrinking hands does not harm the poor or the poor, and has not taken interest from brothers who borrow money, nor has it demanded much from brothers who borrow food. He obeys my laws and follows my laws, so that he will not die for the sins of his father, but will surely live.

As for his father. Because he deceives others too much, robs his brothers, and does evil among his own people, he will die for his own sins.

You still say, why doesn’t a son bear the sins of his father? If a son does what is upright and reasonable, and keeps and follows all my laws, he will surely live.

Only those who commit crimes will die. A son shall not bear the sins of his father, nor shall a father bear the sins of his son. The good fruit of the righteous shall belong to themselves, and the evil retribution of the wicked shall belong to themselves.

If the wicked turn away from all their sins, keep all my laws, and do what is right and right, they will surely live and not die.

All the sins he has committed will not be remembered, but he will live because of his righteousness.

Is it my pleasure for the wicked to die, says the Lord GOD? Isn’t it joy for him to turn back and leave the path he has walked to survive?

If a righteous person turns away from their righteous deeds and does evil, following all the detestable deeds of the wicked, will they be able to survive? All his righteousness will not be remembered. He will die for the sins he has committed and the evil he has done.

You also say that the way of the Lord is unfair. O house of Israel, listen, is my way not fair? Isn’t your way unfair?

If a righteous person turns away from their righteous deeds and dies for their sins, they will die for the sins they have committed.

Moreover, if the wicked turn away from their evil deeds and do what is right and right, they will surely save their lives.

Because he pondered and turned away from all the sins he had committed, he would surely live and not die.

The house of Israel also said, The way of the Lord is not fair. O house of Israel, is my way not fair? Isn’t your way unfair?

Therefore the Lord GOD says, O house of Israel, I will judge you according to the ways of each of you. You should turn back and leave all the sins you have committed. In this way, iniquity will not cause you to perish.

Abandon all the sins you have committed and become a new heart and spirit. O house of Israel, why do you need to die?

The Lord GOD says, I am not pleased with the death of the dead, so turn back and live.